נחמיה 13

1 בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נִקְרָ֛א בְּסֵ֥פֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְנִמְצָא֙ כָּת֣וּב בּ֔וֹ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־יָב֨וֹא עַמֹּנִ֧י וּמֹאָבִ֛י בִּקְהַ֥ל הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

One day when the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the section was found where it was written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed into the assembly of God,

2 כִּ֣י לֹ֧א קִדְּמ֛וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר עָלָ֤יו אֶת־בִּלְעָם֙ לְקַֽלְל֔וֹ וַיַּהֲפֹ֧ךְ אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ הַקְּלָלָ֖ה לִבְרָכָֽה׃

because they hadn't brought food and water when they met the Israelites, but instead they had hired Balaam to put a curse on them—though our God turned that curse into a blessing!

3 וַיְהִ֖י כְּשָׁמְעָ֣ם אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֑ה וַיַּבְדִּ֥ילוּ כָל־עֵ֖רֶב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

When the people heard about this law, they separated out from Israel everyone who had foreign ancestry.

4 וְלִפְנֵ֣י מִזֶּ֔ה אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן נָת֖וּן בְּלִשְׁכַּ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ קָר֖וֹב לְטוֹבִיָּֽה׃

Before all this, Eliashib the priest, who was related to Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the Temple of our God.

5 וַיַּ֨עַשׂ ל֜וֹ לִשְׁכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וְשָׁ֣ם הָי֪וּ לְפָנִ֟ים נֹ֠תְנִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֨ה הַלְּבוֹנָ֜ה וְהַכֵּלִ֗ים וּמַעְשַׂ֤ר הַדָּגָן֙ הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר מִצְוַת֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים וּתְרוּמַ֖ת הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

He had provided Tobiah with a large room which had previously been used to store the grain offerings, incense, and Temple items, as well as the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil allocated to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, in addition to the offerings for the priests.

6 וּבְכָל־זֶ֕ה לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֡י בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֜יִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֤סְתְּא מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּ֣אתִי אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְקֵ֥ץ יָמִ֖ים נִשְׁאַ֥לְתִּי מִן־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

When all this happened I was not in Jerusalem because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I requested permission from the king to go back.

7 וָאָב֖וֹא לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וָאָבִ֣ינָה בָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ לְט֣וֹבִיָּ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לוֹ֙ נִשְׁכָּ֔ה בְּחַצְרֵ֖י בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

When I arrived back in Jerusalem I discovered the dreadful thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courtyard of God's Temple.

8 וַיֵּ֥רַֽע לִ֖י מְאֹ֑ד וָֽאַשְׁלִ֜יכָה אֶֽת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֧י בֵית־טוֹבִיָּ֛ה הַח֖וּץ מִן־הַלִּשְׁכָּֽה׃

I was extremely upset, and I went and threw out everything that was in Tobiah's room.

9 וָאֹ֣מְרָ֔ה וַֽיְטַהֲר֖וּ הַלְּשָׁכ֑וֹת וָאָשִׁ֣יבָה שָּׁ֗ם כְּלֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֖ה וְהַלְּבוֹנָֽה׃ פ

I ordered the rooms purified, and put back the Temple items, the grain offerings, and the incense.

10 וָאֵ֣דְעָ֔ה כִּֽי־מְנָי֥וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לֹ֣א נִתָּ֑נָה וַיִּבְרְח֧וּ אִישׁ־לְשָׂדֵ֛הוּ הַלְוִיִּ֥ם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים עֹשֵׂ֥י הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃

I also found out that the food allowances for the Levites were not being provided, so the Levites had gone back to take care of their fields, along with the singers who led the worship services.

11 וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ אֶת־הַסְּגָנִ֔ים וָאֹ֣מְרָ֔ה מַדּ֖וּעַ נֶעֱזַ֣ב בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וָֽאֶ֨קְבְּצֵ֔ם וָֽאַעֲמִדֵ֖ם עַל־עָמְדָֽם׃

I went and confronted the leaders, asking, “Why is God's Temple being neglected?” I called the Levites back and made sure they were carrying out their responsibilities.

12 וְכָל־יְהוּדָ֗ה הֵבִ֜יאוּ מַעְשַׂ֧ר הַדָּגָ֛ן וְהַתִּיר֥וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֖ר לָאוֹצָרֽוֹת׃

Everyone in Judah then brought the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storerooms.

13 וָאוֹצְרָ֣ה עַל־א֠וֹצָרוֹת שֶׁלֶמְיָ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְצָד֣וֹק הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר וּפְדָיָה֙ מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְעַל־יָדָ֔ם חָנָ֥ן בֶּן־זַכּ֖וּר בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָ֑ה כִּ֤י נֶאֱמָנִים֙ נֶחְשָׁ֔בוּ וַעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לַחֲלֹ֥ק לַאֲחֵיהֶֽם׃ פ

I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, in charge of the storerooms with Hanan, son of Zakkur, son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered honest people. Their responsibility was to distribute the allowances to their fellow Levites.

14 זָכְרָה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהַ֖י עַל־זֹ֑את וְאַל־תֶּ֣מַח חֲסָדַ֗י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֛יתִי בְּבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהַ֖י וּבְמִשְׁמָרָֽיו׃

My God, please remember me over this. Please don't forget my good deeds I have done for the Temple of my God and its services.

15 בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֡מָּה רָאִ֣יתִי בִֽיהוּדָ֣ה ׀ דֹּֽרְכִֽים־גִּתּ֣וֹת ׀ בַּשַּׁבָּ֡ת וּמְבִיאִ֣ים הָעֲרֵמ֣וֹת וְֽעֹמְסִ֪ים עַל־הַחֲמֹרִ֟ים וְאַף־יַ֜יִן עֲנָבִ֤ים וּתְאֵנִים֙ וְכָל־מַשָּׂ֔א וּמְבִיאִ֥ים יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וָאָעִ֕יד בְּי֖וֹם מִכְרָ֥ם צָֽיִד׃

Around that time I noticed people treading the winepress on Sabbath. I saw others collecting grain and loading it up on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing it all into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

16 וְהַצֹּרִים֙ יָ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֔הּ מְבִיאִ֥ים דָּ֖אג וְכָל־מֶ֑כֶר וּמֹכְרִ֧ים בַּשַּׁבָּ֛ת לִבְנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

I told them off for selling their produce on that day.

17 וָאָרִ֕יבָה אֵ֖ת חֹרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֨ר הָרָ֤ע הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וּֽמְחַלְּלִ֖ים אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃

Some people from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of things and they were selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

18 הֲל֨וֹא כֹ֤ה עָשׂוּ֙ אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וַיָּבֵ֨א אֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּ עָלֵ֗ינוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְעַ֖ל הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וְאַתֶּ֞ם מוֹסִיפִ֤ים חָרוֹן֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ פ

I confronted the Jewish leaders, asking them, “Why are you are doing such an evil thing? You are violating the Sabbath day! Wasn't this what your forefathers did, bringing our God down on us, causing us and this city such disasters? Now you're bringing even more trouble on us by violating the Sabbath!”

19 וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צָֽלֲלוּ֩ שַׁעֲרֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לִפְנֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת וָאֹֽמְרָה֙ וַיִּסָּגְר֣וּ הַדְּלָת֔וֹת וָאֹ֣מְרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יִפְתָּח֔וּם עַ֖ד אַחַ֣ר הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וּמִנְּעָרַ֗י הֶֽעֱמַ֙דְתִּי֙ עַל־הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לֹא־יָב֥וֹא מַשָּׂ֖א בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃

So I ordered Jerusalem's gates to be shut at sunset on the day before the Sabbath, and that were not to be opened until after the Sabbath had ended. I assigned some of my men to guard the gates to make sure no goods would be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ הָרֹכְלִ֜ים וּמֹכְרֵ֧י כָל־מִמְכָּ֛ר מִח֥וּץ לִירוּשָׁלִָ֖ם פַּ֥עַם וּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃

A couple of times merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside of Jerusalem.

21 וָאָעִ֣ידָה בָהֶ֗ם וָאֹמְרָ֤ה אֲלֵיהֶם֙ מַדּ֜וּעַ אַתֶּ֤ם לֵנִים֙ נֶ֣גֶד הַחוֹמָ֔ה אִם־תִּשְׁנ֕וּ יָ֖ד אֶשְׁלַ֣ח בָּכֶ֑ם מִן־הָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא לֹא־בָ֖אוּ בַּשַּׁבָּֽת׃ ס

I warned them, saying, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do that again I'll have you arrested!” After that they didn't come on the Sabbath.

22 וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְי֤וּ מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ וּבָאִים֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת גַּם־זֹאת֙ זָכְרָה־לִּ֣י אֱלֹהַ֔י וְח֥וּסָה עָלַ֖י כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ פ

Then I told the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates to keep the Sabbath day holy. My God, please also remember me for doing this, and be merciful to me because of your trustworthy love.

23 גַּ֣ם ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים֙ הֹשִׁ֗יבוּ נָשִׁים֙ אַשְׁדֳּדִיּ֔וֹת עַמֳּנִיּ֖וֹת מוֹאֲבִיּֽוֹת׃

Around the same time I realized some Jews had married women from Ashdod, Moab, and Ammon.

24 וּבְנֵיהֶ֗ם חֲצִי֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר אַשְׁדּוֹדִ֔ית וְאֵינָ֥ם מַכִּירִ֖ים לְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוּדִ֑ית וְכִלְשׁ֖וֹן עַ֥ם וָעָֽם׃

Half their children could only speak the language of Ashdod or that of another people, and didn't know how to speak the language of Judah.

25 וָאָרִ֤יב עִמָּם֙ וָאֲקַֽלְלֵ֔ם וָאַכֶּ֥ה מֵהֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וָֽאֶמְרְטֵ֑ם וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣ם בֵּֽאלֹהִ֗ים אִם־תִּתְּנ֤וּ בְנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ לִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְאִם־תִּשְׂאוּ֙ מִבְּנֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם וְלָכֶֽם׃

So I confronted them and told them they were cursed. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God, saying, “You must not allow your daughters to marry their sons, or allow your sons—or yourselves— to marry their daughters.

26 הֲל֣וֹא עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה חָטָֽא־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל וּבַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָרַבִּים֩ לֹֽא־הָיָ֨ה מֶ֜לֶךְ כָּמֹ֗הוּ וְאָה֤וּב לֵֽאלֹהָיו֙ הָיָ֔ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֣הוּ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל גַּם־אוֹת֣וֹ הֶחֱטִ֔יאוּ הַנָּשִׁ֖ים הַנָּכְרִיּֽוֹת׃

Wasn't it marriages like these that made King Solomon of Israel sin? There wasn't a king in any nation like him. God loved him, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was made to sin by foreign women.

27 וְלָכֶ֣ם הֲנִשְׁמַ֗ע לַעֲשֹׂת֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את לִמְעֹ֖ל בֵּֽאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְהֹשִׁ֖יב נָשִׁ֥ים נָכְרִיּֽוֹת׃

So do we have to hear about you committing this dreadful sin, how you are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 וּמִבְּנֵ֨י יוֹיָדָ֤ע בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל חָתָ֖ן לְסַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֑י וָאַבְרִיחֵ֖הוּ מֵעָלָֽי׃

Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I expelled him.

29 זָכְרָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהָ֑י עַ֚ל גָּאֳלֵ֣י הַכְּהֻנָּ֔ה וּבְרִ֥ית הַכְּהֻנָּ֖ה וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃

My God, remember them and what they did, violating the priesthood and the solemn agreement of the priests and Levites.

30 וְטִֽהַרְתִּ֖ים מִכָּל־נֵכָ֑ר וָאַעֲמִ֧ידָה מִשְׁמָר֛וֹת לַכֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְלַלְוִיִּ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃

I purified them from everything foreign, and I made sure the priests and Levites were carrying out their assigned responsibilities.

31 וּלְקֻרְבַּ֧ן הָעֵצִ֛ים בְּעִתִּ֥ים מְזֻמָּנ֖וֹת וְלַבִּכּוּרִ֑ים זָכְרָה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהַ֖י לְטוֹבָֽה׃

I also arranged for wood to be supplied for the altar at the specified times, and for the first part of the produce to be donated. My God, remember me favorably.